For months now (and unfortunately more to come) we have been overrun with news, political ads, sound-bites, etc. of those running for office. In Kentucky, it’s the gubernatorial race and other positions of interest. Nationally, the Presidential race is front and center.

I’m not going to make any comments on political persuasions, but just say that if they were all shaken up in a barrel, most would come out as fish hooks. Who do you believe? What do you believe?

Politicians have been blowhards since the first person ever ran for office, but tooting your own horn and trying to destroy the name of an opponent are worlds apart. Here is my thought in this article.

God says in the book of Proverbs, “There are six things the LORD hates— no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.” (Proverbs 6:16-19 NLT)

Let’s look at these one at a time.

1.     Haughty eyes: Do you know of any politician who is proud?

2.     A lying tongue: Have you ever met a politician who would tell the truth? If you did, you would never know it, since there is so little of it going around.

3.     Hands that kill the innocent: How many support abortion?

4.     A heart that plots evil: Can you imagine what scheming plans are hatched in those “back rooms?”

5.     Feet that race to do wrong: If shoe prints were evidence of a crime, they all would be convicted.

6.     A false witness who pours out lies: Read your newspapers. Listen to the television news. You have to cut with a scalpel to find the truth.

7.     A person who sows discord in a family: Again, it doesn’t matter whose family you destroy as long as you get what you want.

Obviously, sin is sin, but there are sins that God hates more than any others. He says so in the verses above. In you think about it, only one is an overt sin; i.e. murder (hands that kill the innocent). The others are sins of the mind and the tongue.

Since this article is “Don’t Tell Me No Lies”, let’s keep it on the second sin mentioned; i.e. a lying tongue. I can remember a time when a man’s word was his bond. You could actually shake that man’s hand, and his word would be honored. He told the truth, and he kept his word. I’m sure some of those people are still around, but they’re like finding a gold nugget hidden in a mountain.

Jesus said, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (emphasis mine).” (John 8:44) Allow me to give you this verse in another translation, “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character (emphasis mine); for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (NLT)

Sad it is that we now live in a world where telling the truth is so difficult for some people. Believe me, in my line of work, I see this every day. They will look you right in the eye, and tell a yarn so big, it’s a wonder they don’t choke on it. I dare say, that some people have spent so much of their lives telling lies they have actually come to believe them.

I am also amazed at the number of people who will believe anything, or is it that they will believe anything or they just don’t care? If a man, whether running for office, writing an article in the newspaper, delivering news by television or radio, or via the Internet is telling lies, he (or she) has no character. Why? They are of their father the Devil. Don’t listen to them! Run! Folks, don’t be so naïve as to believe everything you hear or read, especially from sources who have much to gain from lying.

Our Presidential election, coming up next year in 2012, may be the most important this country has ever faced. Pray first of all, that we will have someone worth voting for. This is critically important. Then pray that the Lord show you which button (or shad) to push. Every Christian should be spending time now, asking God for direction in this area, asking Him to help us have a clear mind and be able to filter the truth from the overwhelming onslaught of lies that come our way.

The media generally has no qualms in broadcasting anything that will forward their own agenda. They have attacked certain individuals and their families relentlessly over time and are still up to their evil diabolical schemes to get their favorites elected. They will hide any shenanigans of their own kind, while digging up anything they can find, true or not, on their “enemies.” They have no scruples.

We should not vote for someone because they’re “pretty,” or silver-tongued, or even what they say necessarily. Look at their record. Above all else, if you are a Christian, listen to God. Pray. Pray. Pray about your decision. Then vote as the Lord leads you. For Heaven’s sake, don’t stay home and not vote. If you’re not registered to vote, then get registered, and vote.

I believe with all my heart, that as a Christian, if we ask, God will speak to us. He will show us who is the liar and who is not. But we must ask. Jesus says, “And all things (emphasis mine), whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” (Matthew 21:22)

God hates a lying tongue. “Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!” (Psalms 34:13 NLT) This doesn’t apply to just politicians, but to everyone. God is Truth. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) So how can we lie or vote for a liar, and still identify ourselves with God?

Grant Phillips

In the blink of an eye millions of people have disappeared from earth. You’re still here. You have been left behind, but you have not been forgotten.

Nothing like this has ever happened on this scale in the history of man. The world is in a panic. You are scared out of your wits, but as bad as things are now for you, there is still hope. God still loves you, and offers you light in a dark world. His hand still reaches out to save you.

You have missed this part of what Jesus called the “first resurrection,” but He is coming back again. You were not ready this time, but you can be ready for His next return. Read on, and I will tell you where you are now, what to expect over the next seven years, and how to survive in an impossible situation.

WHERE YOU ARE NOW:

What just happened is an event Christians called the Rapture. Now let me explain why it happened.

About 2,550 years ago God promised the nation Israel that He would give them 490 years “to (1) finish their rebellion, (2) put an end to their sin, (3) atone for their guilt, (3) bring in everlasting righteousness, (4) confirm the prophetic vision, and (5) anoint the Most Holy Place (NLT).” “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” (Daniel 9:24) After 483 years, Israel had accomplished nothing except to murder God’s Son Jesus. Therefore, God temporarily setIsrael aside as a nation while He called people out from the Gentiles to be His Church (or the bride of Christ), keeping in mind that individually, Jews and Gentiles could be part of His Church. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:14-16)

Remember, God still owed Israel seven years. Once the Church was complete, God was ready to deal with Israel again, the remaining seven years, and to bring judgment upon the earth, but before this could happen, the Church had to be removed. Jesus came in the air and called all who were in His Church, those who had died physically and those who were still living, to meet Him in the air. From there, He took His Church, His bride, back to Heaven. Those who were not part of His Church were left behind to go through the remaining seven years promised the nation Israel. This is where you are now.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Since the vanishing of so many people at once has caused such great problems upon earth, you will see very soon the entire world forming a one world government. There will be a one world leader over this new world government, who peacefully comes to power. He will seem to have all the answers to solve the world’s problems. He will prove himself by accomplishing something that no other leader has ever been able to do. He will confirm a covenant with Israeland her enemies, thus seemingly bringing peace in that area. The Bible calls him the antichrist. This starts the remaining seven years God promised the nation Israel. It is called the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble”, the Day of Lord, or the “Tribulation.”

At the mid-point of these seven years, the world leader (antichrist) will stop the sacrifices at Israel’s Temple (which by now has been built), magnify himself as deity, take his seat in the Temple, announce that he is God, and demand everyone to worship him. (He will probably have an image of himself setup for his subjects to worship.)

A small sampling of events during this time is as follows. Even more false christs will continue to appear. Wars will intensify, as will famine, death, those dying for their belief in God, and terror. One third of the earth will be burned up by hail and fire. One third of the seas, rivers and springs will be destroyed. All aquatic life will be killed. One third of the sun, moon and starts will not produce light. Fierce heat from the sun will bring agony upon mankind. People will break out in loathsome and malignant sores who take the mark of the beast (antichrist). The earth will become darkened. The Euphrates River will dry up.

The horrors of this seven year period will increase each year in its intensity until it culminates in Jesus Christ’s return at the end. By the end, judgment upon the world will be so intense all life would cease to exist if Christ would not return to put an end to it. Over 50% of the world population will be destroyed, and that doesn’t even take into account the number who will die in the last battle when Jesus returns.

Can there be any hope for anyone who has been left behind?

HOW TO SURVIVE AND IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION:

I do not mean to soften the agony of the Tribulation in the least. It is going to be the most terrible time the world has ever experienced. Even so, if you call upon God to save you by professing faith in His Son Jesus Christ, He will do so. That does not mean you will avoid the effects of God’s onslaught upon the earth. It does not mean that you will not suffer, or even lose your life. It does mean however, that whether you survive to the end or are martyred before, your soul will be saved, safe and secure with Jesus Christ.

I previously listed just a few things that will take place, so you may know before they occur that God’s Word is true. By reading His Word, the Bible, you will find what God says will happen during this time. You will see convincing proof that everything He says in the Bible will be fulfilled to the letter. For example, read Psalms 83, Ezekiel 38-39, the book of Daniel, and the last book, Revelation, to start with.

It will not be easy, but even in the midst of terror, peace can be had if Jesus is living in your heart. You can know that no matter what happens your soul is safe with Him.

It will end. Unlike the Church looking for the Rapture, you can count down the days until Jesus returns to the Mount of Olives, the Second Coming. Then you can rejoice, because we all will go with Jesus in what the Bible calls, the Millennium or the one thousand year reign on earth. Satan and his demons will be bound for Christ’s thousand year reign. When the one thousand year reign is ended, Christ will free Satan just long enough to permanently defeat him and put him and all his followers away for good. After that, we all reign forever with the one true God, Jesus Christ.

Grant Phillips